‘Green Book’ Writer Deletes Twitter Account After Muslim 9/11 Tweet Surfaces
“100% correct. Muslims in Jersey City cheering when towers went down. I saw it, as you did, possibly on local CBS news,” Nick Vallelonga tweeted in 2015
Itay Hod | January 9, 2019 @ 6:42 PM
Last Updated: January 9, 2019 @ 6:45 PM
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“Green Book” writer and producer Nick Vallelonga has deleted his Twitter account after one of his old social media posts from 2015, in which he seemed to back Donald Trump’s claim that New Jersey Muslims cheered on 9/11, resurfaced online.
In November 2015, Trump made headlines after the then-presidential candidate said without evidence that he “watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down. And I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down. Thousands of people were cheering.”
Vallelonga replied to Trump, “100% correct. Muslims in Jersey City cheering when towers went down. I saw it, as you did, possibly on local CBS news.”
Reps for Vallelonga did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. But a publicist for the writer told IndieWire: “The twitter account has been deleted… not sure if any comment is actually needed here.”
The resurfaced tweet comes just days after “Green Book” took home the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy on Sunday. But Wednesday was a bad day for “Green Book” all around: The film’s director, Peter Farrelly, apologized for repeatedly flashing his penis two decades ago in an attempt to be funny.
Universal did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
In November 2015, Trump told ABC’s “This Week” that “there were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down. I know it might be not politically correct for you to talk about it, but there were people cheering as that building came down — as those buildings came down. And that tells you something.”
Weeks later, Trump doubled down on his story, telling Alex Jones’ “InfoWars” that he heard from “four or five” supporters after making the claim who said, “‘Mr. Trump, I saw it myself! I was there!'”
But Trump’s version of events was challenged by major news outlets, including The New Yorker and The Washington Post, which, after trying to fact-check the story, concluded: “This is a bit like writing about the hole in the doughnut — how can you write about nothing?”
Vallelonga’s tweet was deleted Wednesday evening shortly after it was resurfaced. The writer’s entire Twitter account was deleted soon after.
The contentious tweet comes as the writer and producer is on tour to promote his award-winning film — based on his father’s real-life experience driving concert pianist Dr. Don Shirley through the deep South in 1962.
I've confirmed that #GreenBook producer Nick Vallelonga did tweet in 2015 that he saw "Muslims in Jersey City cheering when towers went down" on 9/11. That tweet and the account behind it have been deleted. Vallelonga had no comment. More here: https://t.co/9dfgg2tqVR
Golden Globes' 10 Most Ludicrous Comedy or Musical Picks, From 'Get Out' to 'Green Book' (Photos)
"Green Book" has been nominated for a Golden Globe in the "Musical or Comedy" category for Best Picture. While eating Kentucky Fried Chicken in a car may seem funny to some, the based-on-a-true-story road trip is more of a light-hearted drama than anything else. But this isn't the only time that a movie strategically played category fraud to get a nomination. Here are 10 other instances that raise an eyebrow:
Justin Lubin/Universal
"The Three Musketeers" (1974)
There are a lot of examples of sumptuous, overly colorful period pieces and adventures that flirt with the musical tag, but the funniest thing about the 1973 "Three Musketeers," which was nominated for Best Musical or Comedy, is that Charlton Heston would play a villainous Cardinal.
Twentieth Century Fox
"Ghost" (1990)
We've gotten a lot of mileage out of parodies of that pottery scene, but just because Whoopi Goldberg is in "Ghost" doesn't make it a comedy. It was nominated in the Best Musical or Comedy category and lost to Peter Weir's "Green Card."
Paramount Pictures
"Fargo" (1996)
It isn't easy to pin down one genre for any Coen Brothers movie, especially "Fargo." But the real joke is that "Fargo" ended up losing to "Evita."
Gramercy Pictures
"Vicky Christina Barcelona" (2008)
The Globes would eventually figure out with "Blue Valentine" that there are some times when Woody Allen just prefers to not be funny, so why not this time? It did manage to win in the Musical or Comedy category however.
MGM
"The Tourist" (2010)
How can we invite Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp to the awards ceremony? Let's nominate this romantic action caper with a 20 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and stick it in the Musical or Comedy category!
Columbia Pictures
"RED" (2010)
Yeah, it's an action movie, but we'd find some way to invite Helen Mirren to the awards ceremony if we could too.
Summit Entertainment
"My Week With Marilyn" (2011)
Maybe someone will make a movie worthy of a Golden Globe that celebrates Marilyn Monroe's musical and comedic achievements. But this drama about Monroe's romantic fling in London wasn't it. The Michelle Williams film lost to "The Artist" that year.
The Weinstein Company
"The Martian" (2015)
"In your face, Neil Armstrong!" That line of dialogue is just about all it takes to be considered a comedy it seems. And it won!
Twentieth Century Fox
"Get Out" (2017)
Jordan Peele's "Get Out" is funny in that queasy, racially tense and awkward way -- but make no mistake, it's a horror movie. But it was nominated in the Best Musical or Comedy category and lost to "Lady Bird."
Universal Pictures
"Green Book" (2018)
While some jokes are cracked about how much the lead character eats, the story of a white bouncer hired to drive a closeted black pianist through the racist South is more of a light-hearted drama than anything else.
Courtesy of TIFF
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The categories for “My Week With Marilyn” and “The Tourist” also had moviegoers scratching their heads
"Green Book" has been nominated for a Golden Globe in the "Musical or Comedy" category for Best Picture. While eating Kentucky Fried Chicken in a car may seem funny to some, the based-on-a-true-story road trip is more of a light-hearted drama than anything else. But this isn't the only time that a movie strategically played category fraud to get a nomination. Here are 10 other instances that raise an eyebrow: